Fall is here!

My parents came down for a quick visit last Friday and left Saturday afternoon. They had to see Caden walking and wanted one last visit before the next one arrives. Although it was a quick visit, we had a great time. Friday night we just hung out at our house, had dinner and watched Caden pull all his toys out and show off that he can walk now! He loves to climb on and off his truck and also has learned that he can throw a ball quite well! On Saturday, mom and I took Caden to Fulton Farms to pick out a few extra pumpkins and get some apples for applesauce. They have a wooden train out front that the kids can play on and Caden just couldn't get enough of driving the train (or thinking he was driving the train).

Attempting to crawl out the front of the train

wheelbarrow full of pumpkins and one peanut

Which one do I want.....

Then we stopped at the Miami County Fall Festival briefly to check out the crafts and animals. Caden was pretty pumped up to see the old tractors as well as the donkey, sheep, bunnies, goats, ducks and pigs. He practiced his animal noises especially the sheep which has become his favorite (next to the monkey I guess).

This week Tuesday Caden and I made a trip up to Russia to visit with Mark at lunch and also to go see Grandpa Francis. We went over to Grandpa's house so that Caden could crawl around for Grandpa, he just loves to watch him crawl. Once Caden woke up and was comfortable in his surroundings, it was hard to stop him from exploring the house.

The Francis fellas

Last trip before the new baby arrives!

We took a trip down to Lexington, VA two weekends ago to go visit Shana (old high school friend) and her hubbie Clark, yes I am a little behind on the blogging. We left Thursday after Mark got off work and drove the minivan 3 1/2 hours to lovely Huntington, WV. Yes, we are the proud owners of a minivan! Don't know if I told you about that yet! It has been fabulous and will be a lot more comfortable for the trips up to visit my family!

Anyways, we stayed at a hotel and then got up had breakfast and went to the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Milton, WV. Yes, it was in the middle of nowheresville, WV. Luckily we got there at the beginning of the festival, saw the huge pumpkins...ate some delicious sandwiches...bought some pumpkin butter and headed on our way! Here is Caden and Mark with the huge pumpkins, one weighed in at over 1,000lbs.

Caden checking out the John Deere tractors with Dad.

Trying it out for size...

After the festival we had another 3 hours or so to Lexington, VA. We made it to their house and went out to dinner at a great sandwich place with about 100 different choices, way too many! It was nice to sit outside and enjoy the Virginia fall weather. Shana and Clark's house is beautiful and Caden loved chasing down their two cats, good practice for him now that he is walking. Saturday, we woke up and had breakfast...Caden took a nap and then we headed out to see Foamhenge and then to the zoo! What a fantastic tourist attraction in Lexington! A lifesize replica of Stonehenge on top of a hill, and it is made out of foam! It was great!

Caden and Mark walking up to see Foamhenge

family photo

Clark and Shana in on the picture action

Caden walked the whole way down the hill, holding dad's hands.

We think it wore him out, because he barely made it through the zoo and then crashed when we got back.

Then we went down the street to the zoo, it was Caden's first visit to the zoo! It was perfect, because the zoo wasn't very big and not many visitors. Caden loved the feeding the goats and of course seeing the monkeys, only his favorite animal. These days his favorite animal noises are: monkey, sheep, cow, cat, and his newest addition the tiger.

Checking out the bears

Checking out the monkeys swinging around

He loved seeing the giraffes and especially watching the adults feed the giraffes! Unbelieveable! They would either eat the food through the fence or stick their head over the top and reach with their tongue...it was amazing and a little disgusting all at the same time. The best was watching the faces that Mark, Shana and Clark made when the slimy giraffe tongue licked the food out of their hands...too funny. Caden at Mark on their back porch. They have great views from every window, not a bad way to enjoy a cup of coffee with the sunrise/sunset.

Caden walking and playing ball out in the backyard with the boys.

Dinner on Saturday night at their house. As you can see the belly is large and in charge.

Before our departure on Sunday morning.

When Mark was in Baltimore he brought this monkey puppet back for Caden and he thinks it is absolutely hilarious when it bites/tickles him.

As for updates with baby #2...I am now on to weekly appointments. The appointment this week the baby's heartbeat was still around 149bpm. After much hounding, I received a flu shot this week and then came down with a rash. The pharmacist said that I could have a reaction to the vaccination but I didn't think anything of it until I started itching my arms. Luckily my doctor appointment was on Friday and I asked them about it, turns out it is not from the shot but is a rash that appears around the 35th week of pregnancy called PUPPS. Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy. Great fun! Never heard of this before and it is definitely itchy helping me to look forward to the baby coming even more! Other than that everything else is going good, we look forward to finding more out this week at the doctor's.

He walks!

Caden has been taking a music class at the YMCA in Troy on Monday mornings. He enjoys the songs and parachute games, but has the most fun looking out the windows and playing with the other kids. The eggs are filled with beans and the kids really enjoy shaking them to the music. Little Brooke Davis is to the left of Caden.

I met up with my two college roommates (Amy Winner and Tricia Geiser) the other day at Ruby Tuesday's. After many attempts to get pics of all the kids together, this is the best one!

Caden, Kristin Geiser, Andrew & Isaac Winner

As you probably remember that Caden, Kristin and Isaac are about 3 weeks apart in age. It is so fun to see what they are getting into and I cannot wait until they can talk to each other.

Caden and Kristin going in for a hug!
Kristin going in for a kiss!

Caden not sure what just happened.

Caden has also been going to the library every Wednesday morning for storytime. They have playtime at the end of class and here is Caden in the green. He loves the foam balls and legos, but the yellow school bus is the biggest hit for all the kids.

Mark and I took Caden out for ice cream the other night and then went to the park in Tipp City and to watch a little of the Tipp girls soccer game.

On the merry go round with dad.

Caden and I stopped at the Horseshoe Bend farm to get fall decorations the other day. Here is a pic of Caden with the huge pumpkin! He absolutely loves pumpkins and can spot them anywhere.

Sipping out of a straw like a big boy!

Taking a bath with a mohawk

I love bathtime!

After much waiting, Caden decided last week Monday that he was going to start walking. He has been taking a step here and there, but finally has put them together and is walking a lot more! Mark was out of town the last weekend in Sept and I think Caden was waiting for him to come home so that he could show off for him!